Written by Curtis Millender would love to still call the UFC his home.
Millender kicked off his UFC tenure in February 2018 with a Performance of the Night knockout of Thiago Alves. He followed that up with two more wins, before dropping back-to-back to Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, and current UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. He was released from the promotion in late 2019.
Since then, Millender has dabbled in various different combat sports, and amassed a four-fight winning streak before running into Alexander Shlemenko in June.
“Everyday I wish I was still in the big show in the UFC,” Millender told MMA Junkie Radio. “I see guys like Kevin Holland, Belal, Max Griffin. Everybody that’s still there, they’re doing very well for themselves. I’m proud of those guys, it’s good to see those guys still doing their thing and living out their dreams.
“But, a little piece of me that wishes I was still there. Life would be a lot different. Life is still good, I’m doing great. I’m still getting to do what I’ve always wanted to do. I’m still getting to travel, I’m still getting to make money to fight, I still don’t have to work a 9-5. Life is still amazing.”
Millender returns against Jesse Ronson in Friday’s Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA 8 event at Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss. As long as “Curtious” gets to continue competing at a high level, he’s satisfied.
“I never talked to my management about, ‘Oh, are they asking about me?’ or anything like that just because I didn’t want to put that added pressure,” Millender said. “But, I would see things, I would see different media outlets talk about, ‘Curtis is on a five-fight win streak, guys that may get back in, stuff like that.
“But, I never officially talked to my manager. I’m just like, get me the best fights available. If I can’t fight the toughest guy available, at least make sure I make some money. I always knew in the back of my mind it can be close, like it can be coming if I stay on the right path, continue to do what I’m doing, win fights. It’s always a possibility to get back.”